Nick Young signs with Lakers, Nerlens Noel picks a jersey number and Cavaliers already taking issue with Andrew Bynum's knees

Associated Press

The Swag has left the building.

Multiple reports Thursday confirmed that free agent guard
Nick Young has agreed to a contract of unspecified length with the Los Angeles
Lakers, according to his agent Mark Bartelstein.

Young, whose flashy style of play on the court and ostentatious
dress code off it earned him the nickname Swaggy P, spent last season with the
76ers. Mostly coming off the bench for them, Young averaged 10.6 points per
game in 59 appearances.

The shooting guard is familiar with L.A., having played
his college ball at USC and having spent one season with the Los Angeles
Clippers.

Young was a head-scratcher of a player in his time with
the Sixers. He seemed to be well-liked among those in the locker room and in
the stands, but never could string together continuously solid play. He turned
into a starter for Doug Collins’ team in January, after embracing defense. But
he quickly fell out of favor with Collins … and fell out of the Sixers’
rotation.

Young’s best games for the Sixers came when he had the
freedom to fire away. His stats defend that theory: In wins, Young averaged 9.2
points on 41 percent shooting overall and 30 percent from 3-point range. In
losses, he tallied 11.6 points on 41 percent shooting overall and 39 percent
from long range. On five occasions last season, Young scored 21 or more
points. The Sixers lost four of them.

In other Sixers-related news Thursday…

****While the deal (technically) is unofficial – at least
until Jrue Holiday returns from his honeymoon and signs paperwork to legitimize
the trade – Nerlens Noel is a member of the 76ers … and he’s decided on a
jersey number.

According to an ESPN report, it’ll be No. 5 – as in the
number of teams that passed on him in last month’s NBA Draft. One problem with
that is Arnett Moultrie already wears No. 5, but that’s not an issue a gifted
Rolex can’t fix.

****And finally, the Cleveland Cavaliers (a day after signing
Andrew Bynum) appear to already be taking issue with the big man’s always-hurting
knees. An unnamed Cleveland official, according to a report by Jason Lloyd of
the Akron Beacon-Journal:

“When asked Wednesday which knee was worse, a Cavaliers
executive said, “They’re both not good.”